In pleasure and sport boating, there are many various designs that incorporate and employ various types of engines. The type of engine used, and the design of the engine that is addressed in this disclosure, relates to the very popular inboard outdrive. It uses an automotive type of engine, usually of the V-8 type, as an example, and normally of the more heavy duty engine as employed for marine usage.
A common way to cool such an engine is to pick up and pump water from the lake or river, and circulate the water through the engine block, and then return the heated water back to the lake or river, through the exhaust system.
In many areas of the country, where this type of a boat or vessel is used, the temperature during the winter months descends, and frequently down to and below the freezing level of the lake water. Because of these potentially low temperatures, this type of engine design, when used, must be drained and winterized to protect it from the lack of use and to prevent any freeze damage, such that might possible crack an engine block, if care is not exercised.
Normally, in the cooler temperature areas, as an example, most boat owners will winterize their boat at the end of October, and will not utilize the boat all winter long, until around mid-April, when they are assured that freezing temperatures may be avoided. The problem, though, is that it is almost half a year of inactivity, when one cannot utilize his/her boat for pleasure or other usage. As one can imagine, when the temperature of the weather may not become so cold and unpleasant, and remain that way all winter long, there may be periods of time when pleasure boating may be enjoyable, even during the late fall or early spring months, when there are those periods of mild weather, from time to time, when one would like to use his/her boat. But, normally, such is not practical, because if the boat has already been winterized, to protect it from another cold spell that may eventually come, so the boat must be re-winterized, each time usage occurs.
Hence, there have been some systems developed, and deployed, that provide for a more rapid drainage of the boat, but many of these types of devices are rather inconvenient of usage, require reaching down into the empty spaces of the hull, or climbing down therein, in order to provide for a release of a drainage means, to allow the engine block and other coolant areas to be drained, to prevent freezing of the engine during experiencing cold weather.
Examples of these types of devices, as known in the art, can be seen in the following patents.
As an example, the patent to Henderson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,690, shows a quick drain assembly for a boat motor. This particular drain assembly is for use with a small pleasure boat, apparently one which does not necessarily incorporate an inboard motor, with the patent defining that this type of boat is normally of the type that is transported by a trailer. Hence, such a boat normally is not kept upon a boat lift, within a boat stall, which is the type of usage employed for the currently designed invention. The shown device does incorporate a series of hoses, connected between the engine block, and a quick drain device, with the device being shown as a housing, being cylindrical in design, and located therein is a packer element, which as one can see, is like the standard bottle stopper that can expand when the handle is turned downwardly, to close off the drain. But, to put this type of a mechanism into a boat hull, with the inboard outdrive type of engine, normally requires the boat owner to climb down into the hull, attain access to the drain plug, release it, allow drainage to occur, and then reapply the plug, once the emptying has occurred. But, once again, what is shown in Henderson has been defined as for use upon the type of boat that may be trailered, and not one that may be elevated upon a boat lift, as within its dock stall.
The patent to Inoue, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,063, shows a cooling system for a marine propulsion engine. This device defines a water craft, with an internal combustion engine, having a cooling jacket, a conduit means for supplying water from the body of water from which the watercraft is operating into the engine cooling jacket. And, it also includes a two position two-way valve means, for selectively communicated said cooling jacket to a drain for draining said jacket and for selectively communicating said cooling jacket to its conduit means for delivering water to the cooling jacket during usage. This device is more concerned in providing an overall cooling system for a marine propulsion engine, rather than providing for a quick drain of the same.
The patent to Shields, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,867, shows a drain system for a marine vessel. This particular drain system, though, includes a multiple conduit structure, which apparently is a type of structure which is provided through the lower transom of the boat, attaches to multiple conduits, and then has a series of plugs that can be released for allowing the water to be drained from the boat, or its engine, during or after usage. This is a far more complex type of drain system.
The patent to Biggs, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,934, shows an engine cooling system with simplified drain and flushing procedure. This device describes the need for a first opening extending to a first portion of the engine, and into the cooling system, and a flexible conduit communicating with the first opening, with a retainer removable attached to the first flexible conduit and movable between a first end of the flexible conduit and the second end of the first flexible conduit, for providing drainage of the engine cooling system. This device does show a handle and a retainer for manipulating these components.
The patent to Logan, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,064, is upon another engine drain system. This one includes a manifold having internal passages. A manifold, by its own definition, is provides primarily for allowing circulation of engine coolant to the jacket, and from the jacket, and which may even have a draining system incorporated therein, but the manifold is primarily operative during usage of the boat, to provide for circulation of the coolant liquid, particularly during engine operation. It may also include, in its complex structure, a drain, which when opened, allows the water to flow out of the manifold, and apparently to the lake.
Another patent to Biggs, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,965, shows a pneumatically operated marine engine water drain system. The particular drainage system of this patent includes various pressure actuated valves, and a controller connected therewith, with the controller comprising an internal manifold that is connected in fluid communication with the first pressure conduit and a pressure indicator for indicating a change in pressure within its first pressure conduit. These types of structures are not incorporated into the drainage system of current invention.
Another patent to Biggs, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,379,201, is upon another style of marine engine cooling system with a check valve to facilitate draining. This particular device also defines a marine engine cooling system, having a valve, with a first, second and third ports, and there being a ball disposed within the cavity within each port, which incorporates a pump in fluid communication with at least the first port, and with the actuation of the pump and the third port with the ball providing for maintaining balance between the various second and first ports depending upon the amount of fluid pressure generated at the second port during engine operation. This is a very detailed structure, which is just not embodied in the current invention. The current invention does not use any type of ball valve regulated by pressure within its drainage device.
The patent to Hughes, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,870, is another marine engine cooling system with simplified water drain and flushing mechanism. This particular system also includes a structured manifold, with a water pump that draws water out of a body of water to flow into the manifold and also incorporates a drain conduit. The current invention does not incorporate any type of a structured manifold, that may operate with a water pump to take intake water from the lake, and pass through to the manifold for circulation in various directions through the vessel engine.
Finally, the patent to Kinomoto, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,048, shows another cooling system for a marine engine. This particular system is more concerned with the cooling system, and its circulation, within a marine engine, and its surrounding cooling jacket, rather than providing a simple device for draining of fluids, as when the boat is elevated, and not in use.
Other prior art patents relating to early type systems include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,619,618, 4,699,598, 5,067,448, 5,329,888, 5,362,266, 5,393,252, 5,441,431, 5,579,727, 5,628,285, 5,664,526, and 5,980,342. These are examples of prior art known to the Applicant.